Employees of employment centers and social services in Chernihiv region improve their skills in combating human trafficking

On November 22-23, 2018, a training session “Prevention and Counteraction to Human Trafficking among Vulnerable Groups” was held in Chernihiv for representatives of employment centers and social service centers for families, children and youth of the Chernihiv region.

The purpose of the training was to prepare center employees to conduct activities on safe migration, legal employment and counteraction to human trafficking. The trainers of the event were the program manager of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights

Natalia Kulikova

and an expert from the Western Ukrainian Center “Women’s Perspectives”

Olena Kalbus

.

During the training, the experts familiarized the participants with the specifics of the definition of such concepts as “human trafficking”, “security”, “violence” and others, the definition of human trafficking in Ukrainian and international legislation, informed about the types of labor migration and its consequences; considered all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and illegal trafficking of children, forced or compulsory labor, including the forced or compulsory conscription of men and children for use in armed conflicts, the use of women for prostitution, the production of pornography or pornographic performances, other illegal activities, especially for the production and trafficking of drugs.

In particular, the trainers noted that in recent years a significant number of cases of human trafficking, including children, have been identified, and this figure is increasing every year. However, data from the International Organization for Migration indicate a much larger number of such persons. This fact suggests that very often victims of human trafficking do not seek help from state authorities, considering it shameful, and keep quiet about the problem and try to live with it or do not recognize this problem at all.

The participants noted that they have a certain potential and desire to convey this information in various ways to the risk groups they work with.

The training was organized within the framework of the project “Raising awareness of the vulnerable population of Chernihiv region on safe migration and employment” with the support of the IOM Representative Office in Ukraine, funded by the Ministry of International Affairs of Canada and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway.